Observe stay protection of the 2024 U.S. Open
NEW YORK — What motivates Novak Djokovic now that he has nothing left to combat for?
The 24-time Grand Slam champion lastly received his coveted Olympic gold medal in Paris this month. In so doing, he basically accomplished tennis, sweeping up the one coveted title within the sport that had eluded him. Djokovic has different targets, just like the twenty fifth Grand Slam title that might take him away from Australia’s Margaret Courtroom, however the Olympic gold was the true white whale for a participant who has gathered trophies like curiosity.
Not a lot just lately. He arrived in New York with out his title already engraved on one of many three majors for the primary time in 14 years.
Essentially the most fascinating half is that he has been right here earlier than.
In 2016, in Paris, Djokovic lastly received the French Open. In so doing, he accomplished the profession Grand Slam, and have become the second male participant within the Open Period, after Rod Laver, to carry all 4 Grand Slam titles on the identical time.
It felt like he would keep it up dominating tennis perpetually. As an alternative, he bombed out of Wimbledon in opposition to Sam Querrey, after which didn’t win a serious for one more two years in a interval that took in elbow surgical procedure and a few massively uncharacteristic upsets, the mom of all comedowns.
“I wasn’t mentally in the proper place,” he stated later.
In 2024, the early indicators are that he’s working to keep away from a repeat. Djokovic was requested about his motivation forward of the match beginning, and he spoke of his rivalries with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, his advocacy work with the Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation (PTPA) and his perception in his competitiveness.
There’s little to be gleaned from a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 first-round cruise in opposition to the overmatched Radu Albot, however Djokovic — and the remainder of the tennis world — may be taught extra from what awaits him Wednesday. He faces compatriot Laslo Djere, in a repeat of their fourth-round assembly in 2023. Djokovic trailed two units to like, finally coming by in 5 on the best way to the title.
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Djokovic is in a curious place. He’s coming off what he calls the “biggest achievement” of his profession, however his season as an entire is extra trough than peak. Regardless of beating Alcaraz to win that Olympic gold, Djokovic has misplaced to the Spaniard in consecutive Wimbledon finals. Sinner overwhelmed him on the Australian Open, an occasion the place he had beforehand appeared invincible. The rivalries that encourage him are, as of just lately, not going to plan.
This might assist Djokovic. He lastly has two youthful rivals who’re at his degree, and he might be determined to reassert himself on the prime of the game, vanquishing them like he has completed so many gamers within the final 10 years. He often is the U.S. Open champion, however right here in New York, it’s reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz who has the most important goal on his again. It’s Sinner, not Djokovic, who’s world No. 1.
Djokovic likes nothing greater than proving some extent, and silencing those that have written him off. This isn’t like June 2016, when it virtually regarded too straightforward for Djokovic to dominate tennis, as he turned the “Massive 4” to the “Massive One.”
Simply over eight years in the past, there wasn’t even a suggestion that Djokovic’s motivation would wane. On reflection, it might sound apparent that attaining the tennis Holy Grail may event a lull, however on the time it wasn’t on the forecast.
Wanting again at his pre-Wimbledon press conferences, Djokovic wasn’t requested about whether or not he’d battle for brand spanking new targets. Solely when he suffered that seismic shock of a defeat to American Sam Querrey did the subject emerge.
“It’s an incredible feeling to have the ability to maintain 4 Grand Slams on the identical time,” Djokovic stated that summer season. “Coming into Wimbledon, I knew that mentally it’s not going to be straightforward to form of re-motivate myself.”
Djokovic has since spoken of struggling an existential disaster in that interval.
“I used to be going by a interval the place I used to be actually on the lookout for myself off the court docket,” he later mirrored. Through the defeat to Querrey, there have been a few rain delays, and Djokovic remembers asking his staff to depart him alone in a room throughout one of many interruptions.
“I simply regarded on the wall and I used to be uninteresting. Actually, no drive inside me,” he stated.
In a 2018 interview, he added that the accidents he suffered in the course of the earlier yr occurred when he was “experiencing some emotional imbalance.” He parted methods with Boris Becker on the finish of 2016, and had damaged up his staff through the 2017 clay-court season in a bid to recuperate his drive to win matches. Djokovic even thought of retirement, as his motivation fully disappeared.
He has since been capable of reframe this troublesome interval as a useful studying expertise. He even stated he was “tremendous glad” to have been by it. If ever there was a time when that have would are available in helpful, it could be now.
At 37, and nonetheless solely a few months on from knee surgical procedure, bodily fairly than psychological challenges could current the firmest obstacles to Djokovic’s quest for renewed dominance. “I don’t have any limitations in my thoughts,” he stated at Wimbledon. “I nonetheless wish to maintain going and play so long as I really feel like I can play on this excessive degree.”
On the homecoming celebration in Belgrade that adopted the Olympics, Djokovic hinted that he had nothing left to win. “I really feel fulfilled, full, let’s have fun!” he stated. Within the subsequent breath, he was opening up the opportunity of enjoying into his 40s, and defending his title on the 2028 Olympic Video games in Los Angeles.
There are some components in his favor. His children are actually at an age the place they’ll watch their father in motion, which appears to behave as an extra inspiration, Djokovic weeping of their arms in Paris and creating a brand new and realizing violin celebration for his daughter.
Most of all, he has the game. One of many nice issues about being a tennis participant is that even while you’ve received all of it, there are all the time new challenges to beat. New pictures to develop, new ways to strive.
In opposition to Albot on Monday, Djokovic actually regarded motivated as he carried out a few of his occasion tips in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Breaking serve having been 40-0 down. Hitting the forehand tougher than seemingly any level in his profession. Sealing the second set with a second-serve ace. Why not? A second-round match in opposition to Djere on Wednesday will not be fairly the Olympic gold-medal match, however give Djokovic a court docket, an opponent and a crowd and he’ll nonetheless discover a level to show.
(Prime photograph: Erick W. Rasco / Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Photos)